TY - JOUR
T1 - Tuberculin skin test conversion among health sciences students
T2 - A retrospective cohort study
AU - Pérez-Lu, José E.
AU - Cárcamo, Cesar P.
AU - García, Patricia J.
AU - Bussalleu, Alejandro
AU - Bernabé-Ortiz, Antonio
PY - 2013/3
Y1 - 2013/3
N2 - Previous studies have reported that health sciences students are at greater risk for tuberculosis infection, especially in developing countries. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence, incidence, and factors associated with latent tuberculosis infection among Health Sciences students in Peru. Students enrolled at private university (in Lima-Peru) are tested annually for tuberculosis infection by tuberculin skin test. Data on tuberculin skin test results between 2002 and 2009 was used in this retrospective cohort study, a total of 4842 students were included. Tuberculin skin test conversion was defined as the change of tuberculin skin test from negative (<10 mm) to positive (≥10 mm) after 48-72 h of inoculation. Baseline tuberculin skin test positivity was 1.0% (95%CI: 0.6%-1.3%), whereas tuberculin skin test conversion incidence was 12.4 per 100 person-years (95%CI: 11.8-13.0). This study showed that students from clinical careers in close contact with patients had an increased risk of tuberculosis infection in the internship, especially Medicine, Dentistry, Medical Technology and Nursing. Administrative, environmental and personal protection measures should be implemented and evaluated periodically in order to reduce the risk of exposure.
AB - Previous studies have reported that health sciences students are at greater risk for tuberculosis infection, especially in developing countries. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence, incidence, and factors associated with latent tuberculosis infection among Health Sciences students in Peru. Students enrolled at private university (in Lima-Peru) are tested annually for tuberculosis infection by tuberculin skin test. Data on tuberculin skin test results between 2002 and 2009 was used in this retrospective cohort study, a total of 4842 students were included. Tuberculin skin test conversion was defined as the change of tuberculin skin test from negative (<10 mm) to positive (≥10 mm) after 48-72 h of inoculation. Baseline tuberculin skin test positivity was 1.0% (95%CI: 0.6%-1.3%), whereas tuberculin skin test conversion incidence was 12.4 per 100 person-years (95%CI: 11.8-13.0). This study showed that students from clinical careers in close contact with patients had an increased risk of tuberculosis infection in the internship, especially Medicine, Dentistry, Medical Technology and Nursing. Administrative, environmental and personal protection measures should be implemented and evaluated periodically in order to reduce the risk of exposure.
KW - Health occupations
KW - Infection
KW - Transmission
KW - Tuberculin test
KW - Tuberculosis
KW - Undergraduate students
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84875230995&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tube.2012.10.001
DO - 10.1016/j.tube.2012.10.001
M3 - Artículo
C2 - 23116653
AN - SCOPUS:84875230995
SN - 1472-9792
VL - 93
SP - 257
EP - 262
JO - Tuberculosis
JF - Tuberculosis
IS - 2
ER -